1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of exercise equipment in which a movable carriage is utilized to at least partially support a user""s body, commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9creformerxe2x80x9d, and more particularly to a reformer having either or both adjustable carriage travel and extended carriage travel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Joseph H. Pilates, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,477, originally developed the concept of using a wheeled platform carriage connected to a resistance device such as a set of weights in conjunction with a stationary frame to provide a variable resistance against which a user could push with his/her feet or pull with the arms while in a sitting or recumbent position in order to exercise the major muscle groups of the user""s trunk, legs and/or arms. Since that time many changes and improvements in the design of such an apparatus were developed by Joseph Pilates, and more recently, have been evolved by his students and others. U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,005 and my patents referred to above are representative of the current state of evolutionary development of these changes that have taken place since 1927.
The current conventional apparatus is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9creformerxe2x80x9d which includes a wheeled platform carriage which rides on a rectangular wooden or metal frame. The carriage is connected to a series of parallel springs or elastic members which are in turn connected to a foot end of the rectangular frame. The carriage rides on parallel rails or tracks mounted to the inside of the longer sides of the rectangular frame. This carriage typically includes a pair of spaced, padded, upright shoulder stops and a head rest at one end to support the shoulders and head of the user when he/she is reclined on the carriage. An adjustable foot bar, foot support, or foot rest against which the user places his/her feet is removably mounted to the foot end of the rectangular frame. A spring support rod is positioned across the foot end between the tracks by a spring support bracket fastened to the frame. The rod typically fits in one of three or four recesses or slots in the support bracket, depending on the size or ability of the user. Alternatively, the spring support rod may be permanently fastened to the frame. The user can then push against the foot rest to move the carriage along the track away from the foot rest against spring tension to exercise the leg and foot muscle groups in accordance with prescribed movement routines. The carriage is prevented from moving close to the foot rest by a stop pin fastened to the top of each track, against which the carriage abuts when the carriage is at rest. The maximum limit of carriage travel is provided by the head rest abutting the end wall of the frame.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,276, 5,607,381 and 5,681,249 disclose several foot rest arrangements and adjustable head rest assemblies for this type of exercise apparatus. One of the difficulties which the currently available reformers do not optimally address is the capability to optimally adjust the apparatus configuration for those users who are outside the normal range of human frame sizes and flexible abilities. The typical basketball player, for example, is well over 6 feet 6 inches in height. Therefore when such a tall person exercises on a reformer, the carriage may be fully extended toward the head end of the frame before the user has fully extended his legs. The springs may also be overextended at this point in the user""s movement, subjecting the user""s body to other than optimum resistance during the exercise.
Alternatively, a user may be shorter than the norm such that the distance between the foot rest and the shoulder stops on the carriage is less than optimum when the carriage is at rest on the spring stops along the tracks or rails. Accordingly there is a need for a reformer type of exercise apparatus having an adjustable carriage and spring arrangement to accommodate these extremes in physical body sizes as well as optimally position the carriage with respect to the foot rests for user""s within the normal body size range. In addition, there is a need for a reformer type of apparatus which accomodates the range of motion of those individuals who are substantially taller than normal.
The present invention addresses the above identified limitations in conventional reformer designs. The present invention is an exercise apparatus which comprises a preferably wheeled carriage having a generally flat top surface. The carriage is movably mounted on parallel track members of a generally rectangular frame which has a head end and a foot end. The carriage has a pair of shoulder stops mounted thereto and a head rest between the shoulder stops that extends outward from the carriage toward the head end of the frame. A plurality of elastic members connected between the foot end and the carriage elastically biases the carriage toward the foot end of the frame. A movable spring anchor bar and carriage stop assembly and a foot rest support is provided at the foot end of the rectangular frame to anchor the elastic members and position the carriage appropriately in relation to the anchor bar.
The spring anchor bar and carriage stop assembly comprises a pair of spaced elongated stop members which ride on the track members. A spring anchor bar extends between the stop members. The spring anchor bar is captured by a pair of spring anchor support brackets each having a plurality of bar receiving recesses therein. Each support bracket is fixed to one of the track members. Each end of the spring anchor bar is rigidly fastened to one of the elongated stop members. The spring anchor bar and carriage stop assembly lies on top of and across the tracks at the foot end of the frame. The assembly may also include a latch mechanism, that can be operated with one hand, to removably secure the assembly to the spring anchor support brackets. One end of each of the stop members acts as a carriage stop which properly maintains the minimum distance between the carriage and the anchor bar regardless of which recess in the support bracket carries the anchor bar. This feature permits the carriage to be optimally positioned on the tracks for small and large users.
The head end of the frame supports a pair of upright pulley support arms and also includes a cutout between the support arms specifically sized to permit passage of the head support on the movable carriage. This cutout in the frame permits the carriage to travel against spring tension the full length of the parallel tracks to accommodate those users who are substantially taller than the normal range of users of the exercise apparatus.
The foot end of the frame also has a rotatable foot rest supported by a U shaped foot rest support bar. A pair of foot rest support bar support brackets, each of which has several slots for receiving a central portion of the foot rest bar, is fastened to the foot end of the frame. The bracket has a rib in each of the slots to positively retain the foot rest support bar within the slot in order to maintain desired positioning of the foot rest.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed as an illustrative example.